We Blinked

 Life just often catches you off guard. Minutes, turn to hours, those hours to days, the days to weeks...

So it goes. 

You blink one day and realize that months have passed, in our case, half a year. That last draft post that was begun (and later abandoned) in early October, rife with apologies for going so very quiet and writing of our first family vacation in a very long time. There was nothing 'new' to report. No, thrilling blog-worthy sex to speak of (nothing that hasn't been spoken of a million times already), and it's not as though that we've become bored with this space, that said, the moments where mouse thought, "ooh, this should be a blog post," have long diminished. 

As mentioned we did finally take a family vacation. As mentioned on Twitter, we gathered for Thanksgiving and that was so successful we continued celebrating through Chanukah with several family members opting to stay with us. We found the action of making room for the extended family members for a longer holiday, a blessing. After, we decked the halls and trimmed a tree.  Our spirits are bright. 

So why now after months of silence to finally post? A couple we're well acquainted with stopped by one afternoon, they're Master and slave as we are, except since they have no children they are able to enjoy a far deeper relationship dynamic. Obviously while they isolate themselves from the world (much as we do) the slave isn't allowed to leave ever without permission, has no access to clothing, and is basically kept nude save for the collar that is never removed (a lovely piece by the way). In many ways, despite being so different, their lives mirror our own. 

We too, rely on protocol and mouse, while having access to a car, cell phone, and clothing, doesn't have the autonomy to use those things without approval of Master. He no longer decides daily what she will wear, but does check each piece of clothing to make certain it is appropriate and not too worn. Master allows mouse to wear jeans to do chores, but also maintains the caveat that in His presence she must be presentable. This means, to Him, she be dressed with her holes open to Him. If He wishes to bend her over His desk, her skirt must flop over her back, with nothing hindering His access. He has also returned to making her wear the large glass plug that protrudes to keep her from sitting when she could be doing other things.  

To contrast the other couple, the slave is kept tethered at all times and never allowed to sit on furniture, she is instead kept on her knees all the time and takes her meals from a dish on the floor. Master has done these things with mouse and honestly they're all humbling as they are sexy but He's not not interested in maintaining that forever. He's been there and done that (He says) and likes the more relaxed way our life is today. 

Yet, this couple came to visit (yes the slave was fully clothed) and we welcomed them into our home. Unexpected guests are often a challenge and mouse straight away prepared a small platter of cheeses, crackers, olives -- essentially whatever could be found in the refrigerator and pantry -- along with small plates, napkins, forks and whatever else she felt appropriate. We caught up a little (well the Men spoke and we listened), then they adjourned to sample some scotch Master has, leaving the slaves alone to speak a little. 

Permission was given to speak by our Owners but our silence was awkward -- what to say? Speak of weather? General things? Our lives aren't that distant. Suddenly words came bubbling out in a hushed tone about the importance of waiting and following commands. We commiserated around the kitchen table, while mouse made pot of tea. No children were in the home, so we spoke somewhat freely. 

At first, mouse felt a teeny bit unsettled the old paranoia setting in that maybe she was brought here to discuss a failing on mouse's part? Was mouse not being useful enough to Master? Had He said something to His friend? As much as mouse wanted to quiet her insecurities they came forth regardless but not in an audible way.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them how we are" --Anais Nin (Master also says that phrase in the Talmud but since mouse knows little about that, she takes His word on it). Yet, the point is valid because everything is filtered through the lens of what we know, rather than how it is.While we spoke, the other slave and mouse, we were speaking of ourselves and what we struggle with at times. One thing was clear, the visiting slave felt that mouse has too much freedom. This wasn't suggested in a mean-spirited way or even in a 'our life is a more pure slavery than your life is,' it was subtle and matter-of-fact that the other slave wouldn't like the freedom that mouse has. A long silence remained when mouse asked -- how much freedom should a slave have? The obvious answer is only: however much or little the Owner desires.

After a maybe couple hours we parted ways with smiles, and mouse was left to reflect on the visit. Their dynamic, while being different and borders on things that mouse wouldn't like, if Master required those things of her, would she? Yet, there are things in our dynamic that others might find interesting on a certain level but would never want such things for themselves, but maybe would go along with if their partner demanded it? Should slavery be egalitarian, insofar as everyone agreeing all the terms and conditions? Initially, in our dynamic, Master gave mouse great leeway and what He considered input on how her slavery looked before taking those options away and directing instead how her slavery to Him would be. With that in mind, she's miles away from her slavery to Master would be. The slave she is today is because only Master wishes her to be this way. Whatever she has or doesn't is mostly because He wants it this way. Over the years, she has learned to beg for things she'd like and if He agrees He will indulge her (He demands now to be clued in on such matters). 

We are really seemingly light years from where we began, our children are growing up almost too quickly and there is often a distinct pull to try to slow things down, make those moments stretch. In the last post, mouse mentioned that Master was traveling more. That all abruptly ended mid-summer when the cases and numbers began to steadily rise again and cities decided to mitigate (the smart places did this) with masks, limiting capacity, etc. 

Now, once again, the holiday season is upon us, with vaccination we are gathering more freely than last year and so far we aren't too concerned about the new variant, Omicron. Work for Him as returned to mostly remote, so He's spending much more time at home, and that doesn't bother mouse in the least, except when she needs to run the vacuum.We have our routines. 

We will be back! We aren't quite finished with this blog yet.